Honolulu Century Ride 2026 (Sept 27): Share 100 miles of Precious Moments with Cyclists from Around the World

This year’s Honolulu Century Ride takes place on Sunday, September 27. Three Love Cyclist members who rode it last year are heading back. Drawing on last year’s experience, we’ll share what won us over on the island, and what we regret leaving undone. Consider this a field note for anyone eyeing an overseas century ride, or preparing for this year’s edition.

text & photo / Tats（@tats_lovecyclist）

Honolulu Century Ride 2026

Held on Oahu, the Honolulu Century Ride (HCR) is one of the world’s premier long-ride events, with over 40 years of history behind it.

HCR at a glance

You pick from four distances to suit your legs and your mood. Even the full 100-mile course tops out at about 1,000m of climbing, so any cyclist who rides roughly once a week can see it through. More than the number on the cue sheet, this is an event where how you savor the road makes all the difference.

Tats, Saad, and Anna are back for another round this year

Read the full 2025 recap

What makes HCR special

Talking with cyclists from beyond Japan

The largest share of riders come from Hawaii itself and the US West Coast, and their styles are wonderfully varied. Along the way, someone might roll up saying “I know you,” or you’ll find yourself striking up a chat with a rider whose kit you can’t take your eyes off. That sense of lining up side by side as fellow travelers chasing the same views, regardless of pace or passport, is what HCR really is.

Riding within a multinational pack

Mingling with the locals

Colors you can only feel here

Saying “the scenery is stunning” is so common it lands as a shrug. What actually hit us on the ground was how different every “color” is from Japan. The blue of the ocean, of course, but also the warmth of the sunlight, the depth of the night, the palette of the streets, the Jurassic green of the mountains. You feel this foreign color at every turn.

Different countries, different color tones, and photos take on a whole new mood

Why Honolulu wins us over

After spending a few days on the island for HCR, we fell for Hawaii beyond the ride itself.

Completely cashless, tips included

We never once used cash during the trip. Cards and mobile payments cover everything, so there’s no need to exchange currency in the first place. Moving around without checking your wallet is genuinely freeing. Tipping requires at least 15%, but that too is handled cashlessly.

Shopping is a joy

Garlic shrimp, poke bowls, loco moco…

You’re in the home of Hawaiian food, and every spot delivers. The joy of guilt-free calorie replenishment after a big ride. Expect prices to be roughly double what you’d pay in Japan; brace for that one thing and you’ll be fine.

Plenty of food courts too

Walkable at night

Aside from certain pockets of downtown, walking around at night rarely feels sketchy. Locals and visitors alike stay out shopping and dining well into the evening, and the whole city carries an open, easy sense of safety.

Streets stay busy past 10 PM

Prep points to nail before you go

An overseas ride has its hurdles, but there aren’t many essentials. Here are the three that matter.

ESTA application: You’ll need the electronic travel authorization (ESTA) to enter the US, so give yourself a comfortable window before departure and get it sorted early.

Airline bike bag: To move your bike safely, choose a hard case over a soft one. The evoc bag we used is a favorite among pro teams that travel constantly, with a strong reputation for protection. Packing takes under 30 minutes once you’re used to it, so clearing that first hurdle is really all it takes.

Zero trouble with evoc

Airport-to-hotel transfer: Hauling a bike through public transit isn’t realistic, so book a chartered airport-to-hotel shuttle in advance (we used Roberts Hawaii). Reservations can be made from Japan, so lock it in before you fly.

What we’ll savor this year.

Looking back, Hanauma Bay in the opening stretch, which we blew right past, was the most beautiful of all

Heading into our second year, we’ve already talked with the crew about how we want to enjoy it this time, learning from last year’s reflections and discoveries.

●Take the opening slowly: Last year, riding the high of the start, all of us pushed too hard and literally sprinted past the Hanauma Bay section, which was arguably the best view of the entire course. The first half along the coast is where it feels truly great, so this year we want to hold back early, soak in the scenery, and save our legs for the second half. This time, we’ll etch the atmosphere of that road into memory.

●Actually be tourists: Last year’s whirlwind two-night, four-day schedule barely left room for sightseeing. This year we’ve added a day for three nights and five days, so we can ride freely on our own time and enjoy the food and beaches to our heart’s content. All of that, we think, is part of the full HCR experience.

●Connect with fellow cyclists: More than anything, the moments spent chatting with riders from around the world are what stayed with us. This year we want to be more proactive about striking up conversations and fully soak in the global atmosphere that only this event offers.

Sharing time and space that can’t be measured in kilometers. That, we learned last year, is the true value of HCR. Applications close September 4. Check the official site for details.

See details for Honolulu Century Ride 2026

著者情報

Tats Shimizu（@tats_lovecyclist） 編集長&フォトグラファー。スポーツバイク歴12年。海外ブランドと幅広い交友関係を持ち、メディアを通じてさまざまなスタイルの提案を行っている。同時にフォトグラファーとして国内外の自転車ブランドの撮影を多数手掛ける。メインバイクはStandert（ロード）とFactor（グラベル）。